To: All Mandate Members Employed as Customer Assistants/Sales Advisors
Boots Ireland
Re: Ballot on Company Proposals
26 November 2020
Dear Member,
Following on from negotiations for a Pay and Benefits claim on behalf of Customer Assistants & Sales Advisers, please find a copy of the Proposals for your information in the link below.
Due to the current Government COVID-19 restrictions on Public gatherings it has been decided complete this ballot through a postal ballot.
Over the coming days you will receive a ballot pack to your home address.
Your Ballot Pack will contain the following:
- A hard copy of the proposals
- A ballot paper
- A free post envelope, to return your ballot paper no later than Wednesday 16th December.
Please contact your Shop Steward or your Union Official if you have any queries in this regard.
Yours fraternally
The Boots National Negotiating Team
Boots Retail Ireland Limited
And
Mandate Trade Union
Pay Proposals
April 2020
Preamble
This document confirms agreement reached between Boots and the Mandate negotiating teams regarding pay for the period April 1st 2020 – March 31st 2022. Therefore concluding the 2018/20 pay agreement on the 31st of March 2020. These proposals set out an agreement which includes a number of key elements:-
- Pay rates for the Customer Assistant and Advisor scale post 2009.
- The mechanism for lump sum side bar payments for Customer Assistants who remain on a pay rate above the top of the post 2009 scale (€14.19). Resolution for these colleagues was agreed as part of the 2016/18 pay agreement. That agreement confirmed that there will be no future increases to the rates on the pre-2009 scale of€14.19. These rates remain indefinitely frozen until these rates assimilate with the post 2009 scale. The previous agreement also permanently resolved and eliminated any outstanding claim regarding movement of increments within the pre-2009 scale. Advisors and all other points on the pre-2009 scale have assimilated with the post 2009 scale previously. It is envisaged that on conclusion of this Agreement on the 31st of March 2022, and following any future pay review, the pre-2009 scale will assimilate with the post 2009 scale.
- Introduction of partial paid Maternity Leave
Company Pay Timescales
The next pay review for this population will be April 2022.
In Scope – Applicable Grades:
All roles at Customer Assistant and Advisor level covered by the 2009 agreement, who are on a fixed hourly pay rate.
Pay
In order to address the pay claim submitted by Mandate Trade Union, the following proposals have been tabled. Pay rates for Customer Assistants and Advisors will be reviewed in April each year in accordance with the terms of the 2009 Agreement.
From April 1st 2020 a 1.5% pay increase will be awarded to the post 2009 pay scale for Customer Assistants and Advisors. From April 2021 a 1.5% pay increase will be awarded to the post 2009 pay scale for Customer Assistants and Advisors. The duration of this pay agreement is 24 months from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2022. The 1.5% April 2020 increase will be applied at the earliest opportunity following acceptance of ballot and backdated to April 1st 2020.
The rates from 1 April 2020 and 1 April 2021 are-
Customer Assistants
| + 1.5% | +1.5% | |
| Current Rate | 01/4/2020 | 01/4/2021 |
| € 10.91 | € 11.07 | €11.24 |
| € 12.36 | € 12.55 | €12.74 |
| € 13.77 | € 13.98 | €14.19 |
Advisors
| + 1.5% | +1.5% | |||
| Current Rate | 01/4/2020 | 01/4/2021 | ||
| € 12.06 | € 12.24 | €12.42 | ||
| € 13.20 | € 13.40 | €13.60 | ||
| € 14.65 | € 14.87 | €15.09 | ||
Pre 2009 Pay Scale
Customer Assistants earning €14.19 per hour on the pre-2009 scale will remain frozen on their current rate. They would receive a lump sum payment (or partial lump sum payment depending on assimilation of pay rate with the post 2009 scale) equivalent to an amount that they would have earned had they received a 1.5% increase in April 2020 and a 1.5% increase in April 2021. The mechanism for calculating the lump sum payments would continue as per the previous Agreement. Calculations would be inclusive of Sunday premiums. For any further pay increases in future years the corresponding lump sum by the terms of this agreement would accumulate further by the percentage pay increase agreed for the post 2009 scale. This mechanism for side bar lump sums would continue while the base rate of €14.19 would remain frozen until colleagues assimilate once the post 2009 scale exceeds the rate of pay for their role of €14.19 (Customer Assistant). This mechanism then ceases and they then become assimilated with the post 2009 scale. All payments are gross and subject to taxation. Sample calculations at Appendix 1.
The next pay review would take place in April 2022. All pay reviews will have regard to Company performance and market conditions.
Introduction of Partial Paid Maternity Leave
In a significant change to Boots Maternity Policy, colleagues can avail of partial paid Maternity Leave for the first ten weeks of their maternity leave. The Maternity Policy will be updated and this benefit will begin for colleagues who have successfully completed their probationary period and commence maternity leave on or after April 1st 2021. Colleagues who qualify for state Maternity Benefit should claim their entitlement and the value of the state benefit received will be deducted from ten weeks paid maternity leave via payroll. This policy change also applies to Adoptive Leave.
Boots/Mandate Procedural Agreement
Acceptance of this Agreement confirms pay rates for Customer Assistants and Advisors to 31st March 2022 and the introduction of partial paid Maternity Leave
Unless specifically changed by the terms of this agreement the terms of all other agreements remain unchanged.
These proposals are being tabled on the basis that they are being recommended for acceptance. In the event that they are rejected they are deemed to be withdrawn and are without status.
Date of Agreement: _______________________________________
Signed for Boots Ireland: ___________________________________
Signed for Mandate Trade Union: ____________________________
Appendix 1
Worked examples of lump sum payments as per term of agreement for those on pre 2009 scale
- Customer Assistant receives 1.5% lump sum, accumulated rate in April ’20, payment for 12 months. Colleague working 37.5 hours per week and on €14.19 per hour. *Example only. Individual details will be communicated to colleagues.
| YEAR | Base Hourly Rate | Accumulated rate for Lump Sum | 12 month Lump Sum payment (Apr ‘20 – Mar 21) | Detailed calculation |
| April ‘20 | € 14.19 | € 15.91 | €466.62 | 1.5% lump sum based off accumulated rate of €15.91 per hour, 37.5 hours per week, (€15.91 X 52.14 X 37.5) = €31108.03 x 1.5% = €466.62 |
2. Customer Assistant receives 1.5% lump sum, at accumulated rate in April ’20 payment for 12 months. Colleague working 20 hours per week and on €14.19 per hour. *Example only. Individual details will be communicated to colleagues.
| YEAR | Base Hourly Rate | Accumulated rate for Lump Sum | 12 month Lump Sum payment (Apr ‘20 – Mar 21) | Detailed calculation |
| April ‘20 | € 14.19 | € 15.91 | €248.86 | 1.5% lump sum based off accumulated rate of €15.91 per hour, 20 hours per week, (€15.91 X 52.14 X 20) = €16590.95 x 1.5% = €248.86 |